In the end it doesn't matter. My AT&T service was terrible. Ditto for my wife. We switched to VZ. problem solved.
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iphone 4s on AT&T -- Is connection reliability improved?
- Thread starter WannaGoMac
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I'm having two separate issues.
I have done quite a bit of research online. I am now concluding that for me, I'm having two separate issues.
1. No audio sound - I had been talking to my sister earlier via speaker phone. Then when I tried to later call her normally, is when I couldn't hear her or a ring and the time counter was going. There seems to be a glitch with switching between headsets, speakers, siri and normal phone calls. I never use a headset, and didn't use Siri that day. It makes sense now....I couldn't hear anything when trying to call her, because she was the last person I called on speaker. Then when I called my niece (a new number) it worked fine. The next day I had the issue again when calling my husband, but I had been listening to music with my headphones on just prior to trying to call him. This must be a software issue that I hope Apple fixes ASAP.
2. Dropped calls / calls failed. I'm going to try what my friend (an Apple employee) suggested. He thinks because I restored my 4S from my old 3GS it's just exaggerating any issues I had on my old phone. He suggested I restore my phone, set it up as a new device, and then re-sync. Hopefully that will do the trick.
I have done quite a bit of research online. I am now concluding that for me, I'm having two separate issues.
1. No audio sound - I had been talking to my sister earlier via speaker phone. Then when I tried to later call her normally, is when I couldn't hear her or a ring and the time counter was going. There seems to be a glitch with switching between headsets, speakers, siri and normal phone calls. I never use a headset, and didn't use Siri that day. It makes sense now....I couldn't hear anything when trying to call her, because she was the last person I called on speaker. Then when I called my niece (a new number) it worked fine. The next day I had the issue again when calling my husband, but I had been listening to music with my headphones on just prior to trying to call him. This must be a software issue that I hope Apple fixes ASAP.
2. Dropped calls / calls failed. I'm going to try what my friend (an Apple employee) suggested. He thinks because I restored my 4S from my old 3GS it's just exaggerating any issues I had on my old phone. He suggested I restore my phone, set it up as a new device, and then re-sync. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Totally agree, smart move.
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I always setup iphones as new phones, and not restore. It's the only way to clear out the gunk. However, I don't think the new phone setup is going to fix the issue as you described but it's worth a shot.
Personally I would just go for a replacement and then also set it up as a new phone.
At&t
Whoa! Your story rings a bell for me! I had the exact same experience with AT&T (from them blaming the phone right through everything you listed) a year or two ago. There have been some improvements, especially with my 4S (previously had a 3G) so I'm still with AT&T . . . not because they were the best but, IMHO, not as bad as Verizon (I left them many years ago) and Sprint. So, I guess AT&T won my business by default.
I'm glad that Verizon is working for you and can understand why you gave AT&T the boot. I was oh, so close to doing the same and was just waiting, at the time, for my contract to end. Had it not been for the recent improvements in reception, customer service and my unlimited data plan, I'd be forced to make a difficult choice
Whoa! Your story rings a bell for me! I had the exact same experience with AT&T (from them blaming the phone right through everything you listed) a year or two ago. There have been some improvements, especially with my 4S (previously had a 3G) so I'm still with AT&T . . . not because they were the best but, IMHO, not as bad as Verizon (I left them many years ago) and Sprint. So, I guess AT&T won my business by default.
I'm glad that Verizon is working for you and can understand why you gave AT&T the boot. I was oh, so close to doing the same and was just waiting, at the time, for my contract to end. Had it not been for the recent improvements in reception, customer service and my unlimited data plan, I'd be forced to make a difficult choice
Just an update. Still going great on the new 4s with AT&T
I had one hiccup. The other night all of a sudden I had connectivity problems -- dropped call, slow internet speeds etc. I didn't know what was up and was thinking it was time to switch to verizon.
Turns out there was a HUGE parade in my area of town, thousands of people watching! AT&T spectrum in the neighborhood just got overloaded as a few hours after the event ended everything went right back to fantastic.
I had one hiccup. The other night all of a sudden I had connectivity problems -- dropped call, slow internet speeds etc. I didn't know what was up and was thinking it was time to switch to verizon.
Turns out there was a HUGE parade in my area of town, thousands of people watching! AT&T spectrum in the neighborhood just got overloaded as a few hours after the event ended everything went right back to fantastic.
NYC here. I had my first dropped call last night. Not bad since I have had the 4S since launch day. For the most part I am happy with the phones performance. The 3G connection is spotty but that is to be expected here in urban areas.
New 4s frustrating
I just switched from an iphone 3G on AT&T to iPhone 4s on AT&T in Memphis, TN. When using the hands free, I seem to only half connect to calls. The speaker phone turns on, the other party can't hear me. Several times calls drop. I rarely dropped calls with my 3G.
The dropped calls are more often when I initiate the call.
I just switched from an iphone 3G on AT&T to iPhone 4s on AT&T in Memphis, TN. When using the hands free, I seem to only half connect to calls. The speaker phone turns on, the other party can't hear me. Several times calls drop. I rarely dropped calls with my 3G.
The dropped calls are more often when I initiate the call.
So when you don't use the speakerphone you're saying the phone doesn't drop calls?
Anandtech review
Anandtech reviewed and confirmed that the new antenna & baseband system in the iphone 4s is much improved.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4971/apple-iphone-4s-review-att-verizon/16
"The original iPhone 4 design was flawed. Although Apple downplayed the issue publicly, it solved the deathgrip antenna problem with the CDMA iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S brings that fix to everyone. If you don’t remain stationary with your phone in an area with good coverage, the dual-chain antenna diversity introduced with the iPhone 4S is a tangible and significant improvement over the previous GSM iPhone 4. In North Raleigh, AT&T’s coverage is a bit on the sparse side. I get signal pretty much everywhere, but the quality of that signal isn’t all that great. The RSSI at my desk is never any better than -87dBm, and is more consistently around -94. Go down to my basement and the best you’ll see is -112dBm, and you’re more likely to see numbers as low as -130 thanks to some concrete walls and iron beams. The iPhone 4’s more sensitive cellular stack made it possible to receive phonecalls and text messages down there, although I couldn’t really carry on a conversation - particularly if I held the phone the wrong way. By comparison, the iPhone 3GS could not do any of that. The iPhone 4S’ antenna diversity makes it so that I can actually hold a conversation down there or pull ~1Mbps downstream despite the poor signal strength. This is a definite improvement in the one area that is rarely discussed in phone reviews: the ability to receive and transmit a cellular signal. The iPhone 4 already had one of the most sensitive cellular stacks of any smartphone we’d reviewed, the 4S simply makes it better."
Anandtech reviewed and confirmed that the new antenna & baseband system in the iphone 4s is much improved.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4971/apple-iphone-4s-review-att-verizon/16
"The original iPhone 4 design was flawed. Although Apple downplayed the issue publicly, it solved the deathgrip antenna problem with the CDMA iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S brings that fix to everyone. If you don’t remain stationary with your phone in an area with good coverage, the dual-chain antenna diversity introduced with the iPhone 4S is a tangible and significant improvement over the previous GSM iPhone 4. In North Raleigh, AT&T’s coverage is a bit on the sparse side. I get signal pretty much everywhere, but the quality of that signal isn’t all that great. The RSSI at my desk is never any better than -87dBm, and is more consistently around -94. Go down to my basement and the best you’ll see is -112dBm, and you’re more likely to see numbers as low as -130 thanks to some concrete walls and iron beams. The iPhone 4’s more sensitive cellular stack made it possible to receive phonecalls and text messages down there, although I couldn’t really carry on a conversation - particularly if I held the phone the wrong way. By comparison, the iPhone 3GS could not do any of that. The iPhone 4S’ antenna diversity makes it so that I can actually hold a conversation down there or pull ~1Mbps downstream despite the poor signal strength. This is a definite improvement in the one area that is rarely discussed in phone reviews: the ability to receive and transmit a cellular signal. The iPhone 4 already had one of the most sensitive cellular stacks of any smartphone we’d reviewed, the 4S simply makes it better."
Better
WannaGoMac I feel like have totally abandoned those of us who are also in the same situation. Aside from the parade have you found that the service is better with the 4s in your area?
I went ahead and switched to the 4s. I am in Spokane Wa. We have decent ATT service but bad coverage on the south hill where I live. I had a 3GS and in my house I dropped many calls upstairs, but there were pockets that I could stay in and make a call. In the basement I had zero service. My wife had the original iPhone and she had better service and could even get a signal in the basement, she never dropped a call.
Now we both have the 4s. It is not a magical fix, but i now get 1 to 3 bars everywhere in the house including the basement. I have walked all around the house whenever I am on a call and nothing has dropped.
My friend was here with a Verizon iPhone 4 and he got full bars everywhere, so yes Verizon again is better coverage. However I want to stay with ATT for the obvious reasons and as long as I don't drop any calls in the next 25 days I'll stick with them.
WannaGoMac I feel like have totally abandoned those of us who are also in the same situation. Aside from the parade have you found that the service is better with the 4s in your area?
I went ahead and switched to the 4s. I am in Spokane Wa. We have decent ATT service but bad coverage on the south hill where I live. I had a 3GS and in my house I dropped many calls upstairs, but there were pockets that I could stay in and make a call. In the basement I had zero service. My wife had the original iPhone and she had better service and could even get a signal in the basement, she never dropped a call.
Now we both have the 4s. It is not a magical fix, but i now get 1 to 3 bars everywhere in the house including the basement. I have walked all around the house whenever I am on a call and nothing has dropped.
My friend was here with a Verizon iPhone 4 and he got full bars everywhere, so yes Verizon again is better coverage. However I want to stay with ATT for the obvious reasons and as long as I don't drop any calls in the next 25 days I'll stick with them.
It's not been a magic fix, but it has made the AT&T service a LOT better. Is it as reliable as Verizon? Probably not. But, the service is decent enough now that combined with unlimited data, simultaneous voice/data, and (when possible) hugely faster than Verizon on downloads I am probably going to stick with AT&T.
Service really isn't any better or worse, I've never had an issue with dropped calls, and rarely no service. The only thing I'm disappointed in is the 3G speed... all I can get is usually around 1.0 mbps :\
Just checking in. It is still better the 4s antenna. Though drop outs still occur. The speed and simultaneous voice and data make it worthwhile to me.
1) Do you find significant reliability improvement (far less dropped calls and internet timeouts) with the 4s?
I have found a reliability improvement when using the iPhone 4S on at&t. Noticeably less dropped calls and internet timeouts for sure (however, they do occur on occasion). There is absolutely no difference in data speeds (HSPA+) from my personal experience. Doesn't really apply but I have friends with the iPhone 4S on both Sprint and Verizon and there data speeds are still slow compared to mine. And on top of that the simultaneous voice and data is still awesome. I have seen post by others stating they have dramatically faster speeds with HSPA+ though.
2) What area of the USA do you use the iphone 4s?
I use my iPhone 4S in Colorado Springs and Pueblo,CO as well as Dallas,TX.
3) Which iphone model did you have before the 4s?
I have owned every iPhone, but previous to the 4S I used the iPhone 4.
I have found a reliability improvement when using the iPhone 4S on at&t. Noticeably less dropped calls and internet timeouts for sure (however, they do occur on occasion). There is absolutely no difference in data speeds (HSPA+) from my personal experience. Doesn't really apply but I have friends with the iPhone 4S on both Sprint and Verizon and there data speeds are still slow compared to mine. And on top of that the simultaneous voice and data is still awesome. I have seen post by others stating they have dramatically faster speeds with HSPA+ though.
2) What area of the USA do you use the iphone 4s?
I use my iPhone 4S in Colorado Springs and Pueblo,CO as well as Dallas,TX.
3) Which iphone model did you have before the 4s?
I have owned every iPhone, but previous to the 4S I used the iPhone 4.
Yes, improved when I went from the 4 to the 4s. I'd always drop calls on specific section of a road I take to and from work daily. With the 4s I'm getting no dropped calls on that route. Maybe the improved the towers, or the 4s just works better than the 4?
I never really had a problem, but with the new 4S data is faster, and rarely ever drop a call unless I am talking to my friend on hos Sprint network, then he drops off all the time, but only when talking to him is there an issue, I blame Sprint though.
Never had issues with iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS. iPhone 4 was the first phone that gave me dropped calls, data service drops, etc. Even parts of NYC I didn't get 3G coverage, and then 4G. I haven't tried LTE with the iPhone 5 yet in the area.
I live in NJ.
I live in NJ.